Heated rear window

[Jezzer46]

My rear window heater has stopped working although the switch lights up.  I assumed there would be a dedicated fuse or relay for this but the handbook doesn’t show one.  Is it the case that there is no fuse/relay - I find this very surprising- or is my handbook missing the reference?  Any advice please.

[Magnet]

Welcome Jeremy, 

First thing to check is that you have 12 volts at the heater connection onto the rear screen.

If you do, likelihood is that you have a damage-break in the actual screen heater element. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Jezzer46]

Thanks Gareth - so there is no fuse in the circuit.  Is that really true?  I’m shaking my head in disbelief as I write this!

[Magnet]

You are welcome Jeremy, but you have the wrong end of the stick here.

Fuses alway, just always blow for a reason, so replacing the fuse isn’t going to solve the problem long term, hence the suggestion to first check if you have 12v arriving at the rear screen. If you do, the problem is after that point. If you don’t, only then do you need to trace back - starting with investigating whether there is a fracture in the flexible harness section twixt body and tailgate - common issue this time of year when temperatures renders wires to be more brittle. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

[Jezzer46]

Gareth I understand that there may be many reasons why the screen has failed but the car is full of fuses and relays for every other circuit for very good reasons but apparently none for the rear screen.  If true I find that extraordinary and I just want to know if that is really the case or if my owners manual is missing the clue!  
 

Thanks again for responding.

[Kev-P]

Hi Jeremy,

 

Does the below help? Not sure what year this is for but might be worth a look.

[cliffcoggin]

Jeremy.

The rear window heater is a large electrical load so I have no doubt there will be fuse for it somewhere, but exactly where I have no idea. Have you found every fuseboard yet? Most cars nowadays have two or even three fuseboards tucked away in odd spaces.